Kimiya Darrell

WSP USA
Lead Planner
December 8, 2017

1) What are some examples of anchor institutions in Baltimore?

a) Some anchor institutions in Baltimore City are Under Armor, financing revitalization

efforts, Johns Hopkins University and UMD Medical Center, the Inner Harbor, Morgan

State University, UMB, and local private institutions like MDHS, which is where your

mentor, Mr. Armenti works at.

- “You should look more into anchor institutions in other cities and look at how

those areas utilize those partnerships to advance revitalization efforts”.

2) Are there other prominent businesses in Baltimore besides UA?

a) Yes, if you look online you should find a list of major institutions in the city.

- “Some examples are JHU, UMD Medical, Giant, Wal-mart, Constellation,

and much more”.

3) How strong is demand for living in downtown and midtown Baltimore? Are there stats

comparing vacancy rates in downtown Baltimore and inner-city?

a) Demand is rising, especially downtown and surrounding suburbs as more jobs are being

created downtown, especially in the white-collar areas of IT services and finance.

- “However, despite these advances, Baltimore’s inner-city residences

continue to decline while downtown has undergone major changes. I see

you’re trying to help bring the wealth to those areas. As for stats, you will

find plenty online.”

4) The west Baltimore innovation district is fairly recent, having been launched on January 18,

2016. Has there been any economic improvements since then and how has it affected the influx

of residents to the city?

a) The site is fairly new, so there is not much publicity nor information on it.

b) However, there are small start-ups appearing in those areas, which helps bring jobs to

those areas and generate a larger tax base.

- “The site has tons of potential to bring jobs and wealth to the inner-city. But,

much of the attention has been on the downtown areas and not much revitalization

has occurred in the impoverished areas, particularly because of the high crime and

undesirable living conditions. Because this deters many professionals from the

vicinity, the innovation district, has fallen into obscurity.”

5) Is there any correlation between an innovation district and lower rates of poverty and crime.

Also, how does walkable urbanism tie into this?

a) Generally speaking, innovation districts have planned layouts to them. So, they are

walkable. As for poverty and crime, not so because the purported benefits of lower crime

are negated because so few businesses have actually invested in those areas. Therefore,

not much foot traffic and still high levels of crime and poverty.

b) Transportation systems usually are situated near these areas. However, most of lines do

not frequently service the inner-city and many people cannot afford the fee on a long-

term basis, especially with low-paying jobs.

c) Also, the Red Line, which was supposed to be extended to service these areas failed to be

realized, despite evidence of the economic benefits it would have. Gov. Hogan decided to

opt in favor of the Purple Line, which would connect the wealthier areas such as Silver
 Spring, College Park, and Bethesda. Many people and organizations such as the NAACP

have criticized the move as discriminatory and racist.

- “Hogan has argued that the Purple Line would be more beneficial than the Red

Line in terms of economic impact and sustainability. But, due to the ongoing

construction, that is yet to be seen.”

6) Are there any private-public partnerships between the many universities, corporations, and

civic leaders that are motivated to improve and invest in Baltimore’s transit, innovation districts,

workforce, and infrastructure?

a) There is one major partnership between UA and the city government. There are also

coalitions sponsored by UMD and JHU which aims to revitalize and redevelop areas

around their respective campuses. Also, many smaller interest groups and organizations

have pushed for reforms but have been ineffectual.

b) Primarily, most of the lobbying has brought reurbanization to the downtown and

waterfront areas, at the expense of the inner-city residents and many programs that relied

on tax money and state funding to operate. Fields such as education and infrastructure

have taken a huge hit because most of the funding has been used to rebuild downtown.

- “This is a huge problem as many students are starved of opportunity with no

palpable benefits reaped from downtown revitalization. This is what the city

government ought to not have done. They should've focused on making the city

look more attractive by adding more services and businesses, not tourist

attractions. The Inner Harbor, as ambitious as that was, failed to truly unlock the

vitality of the city.”

7) Are there any more innovation districts planned and if so, where?
 a) Not right now, only one is west Baltimore, being established in 2016.

- “There are sure to be more in the works, but not any that I am aware of at this

time.”

8) Has the vacancy rate in Baltimore dropped in recent years or is the situation still declining?

a) Vacancy rate in downtown Baltimore has actually decreased tenfold due to

redevelopment in those areas specifically. Inner-city Baltimore continues to experience

decline, exacerbated by the Freddie Gray Riots.

- “All In All, Baltimore continues to see a net decrease in population, although the

rate has been steadily decreasing, but still, more people leaving, which leaves

more homes vacant and valueless property.”

9) From your experience, what do you think Baltimore is lacking or needs the most in terms of

urban planning/walkable urbanism?

a) Red Line system would’ve been highly beneficial to the city and provided inner-city

residents with a sense of security and means to seek new horizons.

b) Streets definitely need to be safer/more appealing. First, have to get rid of stigma of being

crime-infested city.

c) Population would definitely desire more businesses in a wider radius, instead of majority

being clustered downtown.

d) Recreational centers and more accessible sidewalks and bike lanes would also help

walkability of the city a lot, as well as reduce environmental footprint.

e) However, need to consult more experienced individuals, I am just an urban planner. But,

that’s my opinion on Baltimore’s deficits.

10) What has the city government done to promote urban development and what positive effects

are gained when a city is walkable. More specifically, how can a city become a true walkable

place?

a) As stated, Baltimore promoted innovation districts. Redeveloped Inner Harbor, and is

starting to embrace IT trend and moving away from industrial economy.

b) Each city is unique, different criteria have to be considered. In Baltimore’s case, safety

and accessibility to opportunity for inner-city is key to truly advancing city as a whole.

c) Again, need to consult someone who specializes in these issues.

11) Any additional advice or information is appreciated as I am not a true professional in this

area! Thank you!

a) I do know a good organization that may help you, the Baltimore Regional Transportation

Board.

- “They have many individuals who specialize in urban policy, economics, and

truly understand specific needs and demands of Baltimore, something which

seems to be a pivotal element in your research. Take a look and submit an

application.”

b) Other than that, I will be more than happy to provide help when needed. It was a pleasure

getting to know you, Daniel. I wish you luck on your future endeavors.

Reflection:

Despite majority of conversation through email, Ms. Darrell thoroughly answered all of

my pressing questions in a professional manner. I managed to do a follow-up email which has

yet to be acknowledged by her, as she has a very busy schedule, unfortunately. The next time I
talk to her, it will definitely be face-to-face. But, for an email interview Q/A, it actually went

better than expected. Ms. Darrell was very forgiving and kind. She also seemed very

knowledgeable and passionate about what she was talking about, I could almost feel her

enthusiasm. I will make sure to continue to contact my mentors on a weekly basis and also

continue to seek new ones as well. However, I feel that instead of individuals talking face-to-face

or email, participating in a group forum with many people will be most beneficial, as the

exchange of ideas can lead to new and exciting insights. That is my goal with the PAC Ms.

Darrell referred me to. I hope to use this platform as a medium to diffuse my ideas and improve

upon them. Maybe one of the people there will become a true advisor. Anyway, I look forward to

meeting Ms. Darrell again, in real-time, not online, and getting more knowledge and information

on my topic. This research is actually much more interesting than I thought it was.